Discovering a celebrity’s favorite food is like getting a tiny snapshot into who they really are. Anthony Bourdain’s mortadella, provolone, and mustard sandwich shows he was a man of simple pleasures. Emily Blunt’s spin on a Cuban sandwich has pork, ham, pickles, mayo, “something spicy,” and an unexpected addition: chips. It’s just as fun as she is. Kate Winslet’s go-to? A grilled cheese with “good sharp Cheddar.” Classic, fabulous, and impossible to mess with, like Winslet herself.
As for Nicole Kidman, one of her favorite childhood meals is a classic Aussie sandwich that she enjoyed while growing up in the Sydney area. It’s a delicious, no-nonsense dish that makes us love the star even more.
What Is Sausage Sizzle?
In a 2017 interview with Food & Wine, Kidman said that she “loved a sausage sizzle with the family when I was growing up.” So, what’s a sausage sizzle?
A sausage sizzle is a community event (often a fundraiser) in Australia and New Zealand, where you can grab a popular dish consisting of a grilled sausage served on a slice of white sandwich bread. While some people refer to the dish itself as a sausage sizzle, it is also known as snags, sausage sandwiches, sausage in bread, among other names.
No matter what you call it, one thing is certain: “A sausage sizzle is not just an event, a food, an object,” shared one Redditor. “It’s the whole shebang.” In other words? Sausage sizzle is more than the event or what’s on the plate. It’s an iconic staple that many generations of Australians and New Zealanders seem to love.
While you can certainly enjoy a sausage sizzle plain, as a grilled sausage wrapped in a slice of sandwich bread, other Redditors have offered variations on the basic recipe. Butter the bread before grilling, smother the sausage with caramelized onions, or douse the whole thing with your favorite sauce.
Sausage sizzles are typically made with beef sausages, for which there is unfortunately no direct American equivalent. However, a beef frank may work in a pinch if you can’t get your hands on the real deal (sorry, Australians!) One Redditor also recommended U.S. shoppers use beef breakfast sausages if they’re hoping to recreate this Aussie classic stateside.
We’ll admit that we’re totally charmed by the fact that Kidman loves such a humble, down-to-earth meal. And you can bet we’ll definitely be picking up some sandwich bread and beef franks for the next barbecue that rolls around.
